Defendant changes plea in drug charges

Bailey Lake changed his plea to guilty in the 20th Judicial District Court on Tuesday. As per a plea agreement, Lake admitted to three of the eight charges he is facing, including criminal possession of dangerous drugs, criminal production of dangerous drugs and the operation of an unlawful clandestine laboratory. In total, Lake could be facing one charge of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, two counts of criminal production of dangerous drugs, two counts for the operation of an unlawful clandestine laboratory, two counts of criminal possession of precursors to dangerous drugs and one count of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia. All are felonies, and according to the charging documents, were committed while Lake was already on probation for another drug possession charge. Lake was arrested in July 2021.

Judge Deborah Christopher expressed hesitation with the plea agreement, which would have Lake sentenced to 15 years with the Department of Corrections and 10 of those years suspended. “I have significant reservations,” said Christopher. “This is not just simple possession. There’s a lot of time the court could add up. Just in the eight counts, there are well over 100 years the court could impose.”

Lake’s punishments for both cases will be combined in the proposed plea agreement, meaning that the 15-year sentence would account for the violation of parole, along with the eight crimes themselves. Christopher allowed the plea change to occur in order to get the pre-sentencing report finished. Upon the date set for sentencing, February 1, Christopher explained that she will reference that document before allowing the agreement to move forward. If she is not satisfied at that point, she may rule against the agreement and Lake may have to go to trial.